Pride Blind the Foolish
by crazy-anonymous
Summary: Ivan warns Alfred about his growing government and while doing so he sees a side of Alfred he hadn't really seen before. Warning: My political views were written in here. Don't worry though, I didn't bash or use any names.


**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, I do not own Axis Powers Hetalia, (Oh, if only~) all characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.

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"So?" Alfred quirked a brow inquiringly.

"My Russian brothers have noticed…a _change_, if you will." Ivan said slowly while drawing circles with his finger on the desk beside him. "In _you_." Ivan continued, turning his violet eyes to look at Alfred. He bit back a small smile, not wanting to elicit an exaggerated reaction from the hot-headed nation.

Alfred's slightly unpleasant expression turned to that of utter distaste as he shoved his fists into his pockets. "Yeah, so? It's what the people wanted." He said defiantly.

Ivan couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face now, his eyes shining with chilling humor; he seemed distant, as if he was recalling something long past. "Yes, but I don't think your people have realized what they've gotten themselves into. Government owned industries, bailout upon bailout, _Czars_ who answer to the president and the president alone, incredible deficit spending of the like we haven't seen since the 40's, the highest tax raise in American history by the name of, what was it? Cap-n-Trade? And now your government is trying to get its hands into health care as well. Your government is really going all out, isn't it?" Alfred opened his mouth but Ivan cut him off before he could say anything. "We know _quite_ a bit about you, but it's only natural, yes? You are a great super power who has carried the world on your shoulders for the better half of a century, however, that power is slipping, and if you don't do something about it soon, much more than your power will be lost. _Much_ more." Ivan's face showed no signs of anything but seriousness and a small hint of resentment as he finished.

Alfred stubbornly turned away from him trying to hide the mix of emotions that danced across his handsome features. "You know what I'm talking about, Alfred." And he did. He'd seen it happen countless times, at a distance of course, but he'd seen it all the same. The only problem was that now he was seeing it up close, _much_ too close, he was seeing it in his own land.

"I…I don't know what to do, and even if I _did_, I couldn't do anything, it's up to the people to make the decisions, not me." Alfred said at last, still looking down as he bit out the words. "What would you do?" Alfred turned to look at Ivan, he didn't know why he was asking _Ivan_ of all people, but he was.

Ivan was slightly taken aback when he saw Alfred's face, he could see the anguish in his eyes and the tears welling up, he could almost feel the pain that he himself was so accustomed to, and now it radiated from Alfred's eyes. He was surprised to see Alfred-America-this way. His former adversary that never showed his pain other than in the form of anger was now beside himself with sorrow and _fear_. Ivan smiled to himself remembering all the feelings, the confusion. He knew that this pain was the sort that could render any great nation to its knees in but one great strike. The pain in seeing your people succumb to power, it hurt, but the pain of seeing your people walk into a stranglehold by their own government without so much as a _whimper_, was even worse. Ivan thought on it, he knew his answer straight away, but it wasn't the sort that Alfred would want to hear much less do. "Ah, such is the twisted life of a nation such as you and I." Ivan paused to look at Alfred who stood biting his lip. "You aren't meant for this generation…or rather, this generation doesn't _deserve_ you."

'_The real you.' _Ivan thought to himself as he recalled the blonde nation in all of his triumphs and virtue. The young nation who stood against the strongest empire of the age with only farmers and pitchforks; a kindled fire of liberty blazing in his eyes and an unstoppable will for the freedom of his people.

Alfred opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he felt his throat constrict until all he could do was gasp out while falling to his knees. Clutching at his throat he could feel the tears burning his eyes but he quickly blinked them away, 'cause _dammit_, heroes _don't_ cry. But that was just it. Was he really even a hero anymore? He quickly discarded the thought having only made him feel worse.

Ivan chuckled as he walked over to the cabinet on the other end of the room and opened it up. "Ah, my dear Anglo-Saxon brother, I know just what you need." He said as he picked up 2 glasses and a bottle labeled 'Vodka' on the side. Ivan walked back over to Alfred and set the bottle and glasses down to lift Alfred onto his feet and leaned him against a desk. Alfred's eyes slowly traveled from the bottle to Ivan, and back to the liquor again until he was handed a glass half way filled to the brim with the putrid smelling liquid. Ivan wrapped a strong arm around the younger nation's shoulders and held his glass-that was considerably fuller than Alfred's-in his other hand. "A toast?" Ivan asked looking over to his blonde companion. Alfred looked up at him then quickly averted his eyes. Those cold, violet eyes always did have an uncanny way of making him feel nervous.

"Yeah…" Alfred stopped to think for a moment. "To the end." He said just barely audible, and held out his glass looking straight forward. Ivan gave a knowing smile and clinked their glasses together.

"To the end, comrade."

Alfred raised the glass to his lips and poured in, the liquid slid down his throat and burned all the way to the pit of his stomach, but he continued until there was not a drip of the vile substance left in his glass.

"Good, da?"

Alfred coughed and spluttered a few times before replying with a weak 'yeah.' Ivan laughed and patted him on the back a few times making Alfred cough harder. "_This_ will soon become your best friend." Alfred just nodded his head and closed his eyes in response. The next few years promised to be harder than ever.

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**Author Notes**: Well, here it is, my first actual fanfic~! :D  
I would absolutely love any constructive criticism, so please, don't be shy. =]

Yes I know, many of you will hate me for this because I'm not all optimistic about The One and his policies, and that quite obviously shows in the writing. To be honest, I was getting quite tired of all the political views thrust into my entertainment-it's such a serious turn off for me-and I was hoping that we could just scoot around what's happening and that people wouldn't make a point of throwing in their own political views. However, that obviously didn't (doesn't) happen, and of course I don't go complaining to the person who wrote it, I mean, it's their own story, they can do whatever they want, I don't have to sit myself down and read it, _buuuuut_...

Anyhow though, because of that I decided I would write my own fanfic and put my own views in it too (Haha, I'm such a troublemaker, aren't I? ;D)  
And I got most of my inspiration from a piece of writing by a Russian person (Journalist maybe, I don't know for sure.) and it's called "American Capitalism, gone with a whimper." It's a very telling piece of work, and I think we need to listen to the Russians more. They are after all, quite a bit more experienced and knowledgeable about the whole socialist/fascist thing than us Americans are. If you would like to read the article go here:

.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/

And if that link doesn't work then you can just type in "American capitalism gone with a whimper" and it should be the first link you find. It's a Russian site too, so that may help you if you're having trouble. =]  
Seriously though, every American, Democrat and Republican alike (because quite honestly this isn't a Democrat/Republican problem, it's an **American** problem.) should read it and think about it a little bit. So what are you waiting for? Go. Now. :D

_Annnnd_ to further push my ideas on you~ You all should consider (pfft, consider? No, _must_!) going and getting the book "Common Sense" by Glenn Beck-_Le gasp~_! That's right! I said that naughty, _right-wing, conservative_ name!  
But really, I'm being serious, you should go read it. It's not a biased book that points fingers at one party, it's a book that points the fingers at _both_ parties and gives us a good look at what's been happening to our country and why all this deficit spending to get us out of debt just isn't working...I have to say though, even without his book you'd think it'd be, I dunno, _common sense_ that more spending won't get us out of debt. But well, maybe that's just me. Well, and Glenn and his _evil_ bunch of cohorts too. But whatever. What is a young gal like me to do? (Write letters to Congress and the House of course! 'Cause if you and I can be wasting time writing and reading fanfic then we certainly have the time to be doing something important like helping to stop the out of control government!) Oh Lord, I sound just like a parrot of Glenn....oh well, he's amazing and so completely right on these issues, so what can I say? =]

My oh my, if you've read all of the above and are now reading this then I am expecting a whole slew of flaming. That's alright though, flame all you want _(but please be gentle~)_, as long as I get the word out there that's all that matters to me. As long as someone with an open mind hears me and actually looks into the book then my work here is done...well, not done since this fic really wasn't meant as a way to recruit others, and I do plan on posting more fanfic sometime, so.... (and of course not all my work will have my own political views and what not.)

Yours truly,

Crazy(American)Anonymous~ 3

...Yes, I just felt like putting that in there. :D


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